The Last Unicorn
by tinkerbell2010
Summary: A new student comes to mutant high. She tries to adjust and fit in, but secrets from her past continually haunt her.
1. Chapter 1

I own Aravis and nothing else! Enjoy and review!

The girl could feel the eyes of every man in the bar upon her the moment she appeared in the doorway. She moved gracefully to the nearest unoccupied seat and quietly requested a glass of water. She lifted her small, delicate hands and lowered the hood of the maroon cloak she was wearing. Her silver, shimmering hair fell in soft waves down her back. She could feel the bartender studying her closely, but would not meet his gaze. A few moments later, a tall, muscular man wearing worn jeans and a leather jacket stepped through the door and took a seat at the bar. The girl smirked inwardly; so he _had_ been following her. She had noticed him hours earlier, lurking behind her at every street corner. Always at a distance, yet always present. The girl had tried to lose him man times, weaving in and out of the busy occupants of New York City. Nothing she did, however, seemed to faze him. This man knew what he was doing. 'But, then again, so do I.' she thought to herself. Sliding quietly from her seat, the girl made her way toward the women's restroom; glancing behind her as she entered, and noting that the man was watching her. 'Please let there be a window...' she silently prayed while closing the door behind her. She smiled in satisfaction when she saw it, high on the wall and directly over the sink: her escape. Placing her left foot gingerly on the sink and clinging to the door frame for support, she hoisted herself up and forced the window open. Smiling at the thought of the man waiting for her in the bar, the girl lifted one leg and placed it over the window sill. Ducking her head out of the window, she pulled her other leg out as well and leapt a good eight feet to the ground. She landed softly on her feet, but immediately lost her balance. She turned quickly to keep herself from falling, and in doing so wrenched her ankle fiercely. Crying out in pain, the girl fell forward onto the dirty alleyway pavement.

"You alright, kid?"

She looked up, startled by the deep male voice. She swore aloud, realizing that it was the man who had been following her. She stood up quickly, wincing at the severe pain in her ankle, and turned her back on him. Limping as fast as she could, the girl made her way toward the end of the alley.

"Hey kid!" he called, walking after her. "Kid, wait!"

She refused to look at him, and merely walked faster, grimacing in pain. In an attempt to stop her, he reached out and took hold of her upper arm. She wrenched it away angrily.

"Don't touch me!" she hissed fiercely. He took a step back, surprised at the force with which she spoke. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"Its okay, my name's Logan."

"Well, Logan, do you mind explaining why you've been following me all day?" she replied angrily, trying to ignore the pain in her ankle.

"I was sent to help you."

"Sent? And who, exactly, sent you to help me?"

"A man named Charles Xavier. He runs a school in Westchester, and he wants me to take you there." Logan responded, taking a step closer. Noticing this, the girl to a step away, still limping from her fall.

"A school?" she sneered. "Why would I want to go to a school?"

Logan raised an eyebrow, noting her sarcasm. "Because its for people like you and me. Its a school for mutants."

She stiffened. "How did you-" she began, but Logan cut her off.

"The Professor. He's a telepath, one of the most powerful ones on earth, and he's connected to every mutant through a machine called Cerebro." Logan stopped to let the words sink in before continuing. "He knew that you needed help, so he sent me."

"I don't need any help." she said boldly.

"Yeah? Well, while I'm sure you're living a life of luxury on the streets of New York, I think you'd regret it if you didn't come with me."

She snorted. "And why is that?"

"As much as you hate to admit it, you need help. You're all alone in the city with no way to support or protect yourself. Do you even have any money for food?"

"A little." she admitted, not meeting his eyes.

"And when it runs out?" he questioned.

She shrugged. "I'll think of something. I always do."

Logan stared at her. Though her face was contorted in what appeared to be determination and bravery, her midnight blue eyes held only fear and pain. "Look, just come and check it out. You'll see that the people there only wanna help. And, if you don't like it, we won't make you stay." She studied him for a moment, clearly unsure of what to do. "Beats living on the streets." he remarked, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow. "Fine, I'll come. But if anything gets weird, I'm leaving right away."

"Fair enough."


	2. Chapter 2

They turned and walked slowly through the alley together. The girl did her best to hide the pain in her ankle, but her limp was apparent. Logan watched her in concern as she hobbled out of the alley and to the sidewalk.

"Need any help there?" he asked, offering an arm. She eyed him uneasily.

"No," she said resolutely, "no, I'll be fine. It doesn't hurt that bad anyway..."

He snorted. "Like hell it doesn't. I'm parked six blocks away, you could really injure yourself if you keep walking on it."

"Well what do you want to do, carry me?" she snapped, annoyed.

He shrugged. "Sure, why no-"

"NO WAY." she interrupted him, "There's no way I'm letting you carry me through New York City like an injured puppy."

He raised an eyebrow. "You can't walk six blocks on a twisted ankle."

"Watch me." she said, walking straight past him with her head held high. He shook his head and followed, his long strides quickly catching up to her short, staggered ones. To his utter amazement, she walked the entire six blocks without stopping or crying out.

"Here we are." he said, stopping at the Harley Davidson motorcycle and offering her a helmet.

"You have got to be kidding me."

He shrugged. "Well you made it six blocks, kid. Maybe you could walk the next 100 miles to the school?" Sighing, she pulled her shimmering hair into a low ponytail before sliding on the helmet. Logan got on and revved the engine, waiting for her to climb on behind him.

"What's your name, kid?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Aravis."

"Hold on, Aravis!" he said, before pulling away from the curb. Aravis rolled her eyes and laughed. She tightened her grip around Logan's waist as the bike picked up speed.

Over an hour later, they drove through the large iron gates and up to the mansion. Aravis sat open-mouthed on the bike and stared at the building.

"This isn't like any school I ever went to." she said as she slipped off her helmet.

"Me either." laughed Logan as he got off the bike. He offered a hand to Aravis, who took it and slid gracefully to the ground. She yelped in pain when her foot hit the pavement, and she quickly sat back on the Harley. She lifted her pant leg up, exposing her severely swollen ankle.

Logan cringed at the sight. "It's really bad," he said, bending to get a closer look. "I shouldn't have let you walk that far..."

"Its not that bad," Aravis responded, dropping her pant leg into place. "and you didn't _let_ me do anything. I wanted to walk."

"Well you can't walk on it now. I'll have to carry you in and let Jean have a look at it." Before she could respond, Logan scooped her up off the bike and carried her up the walk and toward the mansion.

"Hey! Put me down _now_!" she yelled, writhing furiously in his arms.

"No way," he said, holding the slender body tightly to his chest. "Jean'll have my head for letting you walk _that_ far, I won't have you waltzing into the med lab on a wrenched ankle." Aravis finally relaxed, realizing his grip was too strong to fight against.

"Who's Jean?" she asked, sullenly.

"Another teacher here at the school, and a doctor." he responded, shouldering the door open and heading for the elevator. Aravis gazed around, marveling at the enormity and beauty of the school. Several children ran past, laughing and speaking in animated tones. They stopped when they saw Logan holding the girl in his arms, and she heard one of them whispering about her as they stepped into the elevator and made their descent to the med lab.


	3. Chapter 3

Aravis lay on cold exam table as Dr. Jean Grey propped a pillow under her swollen ankle and placed an ice pack on top.

"You'll be fine," she said kindly to the girl. "nothing's broken, its just a bad sprain. Of course walking six blocks on it didn't help any." she continued, glaring at Logan. He held up his hands defensively, a look of exasperation on his face.

"I _tried_ to tell her!" He scowled slightly at Aravis, who smirked up at him from the table. "I'll get Professor." he sighed before turning towards the elevator. When the doors had closed and Logan was out of sight, Jean pulled up a chair close to the table and took a seat.

"He'll be back soon, and I'm sure the Professor will want to talk to you." the red-headed woman said, smiling. Aravis shifted her weight and propped herself up on her elbows, careful not to move her injured ankle.

"Thats what I still don't get, why is this Professor guy so interested in me? How did he even _know_ about me?"

"Didn't Logan explain it to you?" Jean responded, adjusting the ice pack once more.

"Well he mentioned something about the Professor being telepathic and having a machine called cerebral..."

"Cerebro." Jean corrected, laughing. "He's connected to every living mutant through Cerebro, and through it he can sense their thoughts and feelings."

"But what's so special about me? If he can sense what every mutant is feeling, why did he single me out? He could have sent Logan for _anyone_, why me?"

"Whatever you were feeling yesterday must have been pretty strong, because the Professor felt deeply connected to you; he knew you needed help."

"But I didn't!"

"Didn't you?" the woman asked, staring intently at Aravis. The girl squirmed uncomfortably; the way Jean was looking at her made her feel eerie, as if the woman could see straight through her and know everything about her in that single moment. Just then, the elevator doors opened with a whirring sound, revealing Logan and a bald man in an electric wheelchair. Although Aravis was wary of most people, she immediately liked this man. His eyes were kind, and she felt instinctively that she could trust him. He wheeled himself over to the table at which she lay and reached out to shake her hand.

"Hello, I'm Charles Xavier. Welcome to my school for gifted youngsters."

"I'm Aravis." she responded, in a small voice.

"I know." he chuckled, staring intently at her as Jean had moments before. Unwilling to meet his gaze, Aravis absentmindedly tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear. "I realize that you have reservations about this place, and rightly so. However, I feel that if you give us a chance, we will be able to assist you greatly, in more ways than one."

Aravis gave him a skeptical look. "Such as...?"

"Along with continuing your education, you will be taught to control and use your powers effectively. Not to mention having a roof over your head and food on the table." he said, a twinkle in his eye.

Aravis didn't laugh. "I _was_ doing okay. I didn't need to be rescued." at this she glanced at Logan, who smirked.

"Yeah you were doing great hobbling around alleyways and climbing out of bathroom windows." he sneered.

"Only because you were chasing me through the whole damn city!" she shot back, angrily. The professor held his hand up to silence them, and then continued.

"Aravis, I know that your freedom is something that you depend on, but why not give us the benefit of the doubt? Try our school out, and if you do not wish to stay, no one will stop you from leaving." She eyed him for a moment, unsure of what to do. "What have you got to lose?" he asked kindly. She sighed, gazing absentmindedly at her ankle. Finally, after several moments, she spoke.

"I'll stay...for the meantime."

"Wonderful!" the Professor responded, although Aravis got the feeling he had known her answer before she even spoke. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some things to attend to in my office. I'll let Jean and Logan show you to your room." She smiled at him as he entered the elevator, hoping against all else that she had made the right decision.

"Alright," said Jean, inspecting her ankle. "the swelling has gone down a little, but I want you to keep the ice on it until you go to bed. It needs to stay elevated, so absolutely _no_ walking. I'll take a look at it again in the morning and see how its doing." Aravis nodded mutely, tiredness finally overtaking her. Noticing this, Jean removed her lab coat. "You're tired. Logan and I will show you to your room so you can get some sleep."

Much to her fury, Logan carried Aravis to the elevator and, once they were on the correct floor, down the hall to her room. Jean padded down the hall behind them, ice pack in hand.

"Here we are," she said, pushing the door open slowly. She paused and turned to Aravis. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen." she responded, surprised at the question.

"Oh good, you're about the same age then!" Jean exclaimed, opening the door all of the way.

"The same age as wh-" Aravis was interrupted in mid-sentence by a loud squeal from the interior of the room. A girl with long, dark hair and big brown eyes bounded across the room and stopped short in front of Logan, her face falling at the sight of Aravis in his arms.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" she asked, concernedly.

"Oh- no I'm fine, just a sprain." Aravis answered, taken aback by the outspoken girl. The girl brightened up considerably, and held out her hand.

"I'm Kitty! Kitty Pryde! I'm your new roommate!" Before Aravis could respond, Kitty continued excitedly. "I've cleared out half the closet for you, and the dresser under the window is yours, and I've been sleeping in this bed," she continued, motioning to the bed near the door, "but we can trade if you want!"

"Oh n-no thats fine." Aravis was dumbstruck at her new roommate. Kitty smiled broadly.

"Now we can unpack all of your clothes and things and-" she stopped short, looking curiously around Logan and Jean. "Where are your things?" Aravis' pale cheeks turned a deep crimson. Not wanted to embarrass the girl any further, Jean spoke quickly.

"We'll go shopping tomorrow and get you some more clothes and necessary things," Aravis smiled at her gratefully. "and until then-" Once again, Kitty interrupted.

"She can borrow some of my clothes!"

"Thank you, Kitty. I think we'll leave you two together, have fun and get some sleep!" Jean turned to go, but paused as Logan walked across the room to the second bed and placed Aravis down gently. "Someone will come for you in the morning, Aravis, and bring you down so I can have a look at that ankle again. Keep icing it as long as you can, goodnight girls!" she called before tossing Aravis the ice pack and turning to leave.

"G'night, kid." Logan grunted, before shutting the door behind him.

"Goodnight..." Aravis said weakly, too overwhelmed to say anything else. Kitty eyed her questioningly.

"What did Jean say your name was?"

"Aravis...its kinda weird I know-"

"Oh no I love it! Its really unique and everything! So what about your power? I can walk through walls and other solid objects! What can you do?" Aravis blinked.

"Um...well it sounds really stupid if I try to explain it. I'd rather show you sometime."

"Show me now! I really wanna see it!"

"I really need to wait until my ankle gets better...if you don't mind?" Kitty looked slightly crestfallen for a moment, before perking up again.

"Well, thats okay! Tomorrow I can't introduce you to Rogue and Bobby and everyone else and show you around the school and, what else? OH! We're going shopping to buy you some clothes and things! Speaking of which, you need some pj's don't you!" Kitty strode quickly over to her dresser and began rummaging through her drawers for a few moments before snatching a pair of hot pink pajama pants and an oversized tee shirt. "You're thinner than me, but these will be fine for tonight!"

"Thanks!" Aravis replied, feeling slightly more at home. She slid off the bed and hopped one legged to the bathroom to change.

Aravis awoke abruptly the next morning to the sound of Kitty's alarm clock.

"Sorry Aravis," she whispered, "you can go back to sleep if you want. I gotta get ready for class."

"N-no it's alright...I should get ready to go see Jean. Speaking of which..." she pulled up the pant leg of her pajamas and inspected her ankle. She was relieved to find that the swelling was almost completely gone, leaving only ugly purple bruises. She waited for Kitty to finish in the shower before she took her turn. When she was done, she stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and realized that she had no clean clothes. As if reading her mind, Kitty spoke.

"I set out a pair of jeans and a shirt for you. They're kinda small on me so they should fit you alright, at least until we go shopping!" Aravis soon learned how difficult it is to dress oneself while balancing on one foot. She was, however, relieved to find that the clothes fit her fairly well. She noticed Kitty watching her as she towel dried her hair.

"What is it?" she asked. Kitty blushed, realizing that she had been staring.

"I'm sorry...its just...well, has anyone ever told you that you're _gorgeous_?" Now it was Aravis' turn to blush. She shook her head. "Well, you are! Is that your natural hair color?"

"Yeah."

"Its beautiful...i've never seen anything like it!"

"My dad used to make fun of me. He said teenagers shouldn't have gray hair." Kitty looked shocked.

"But it isn't gray! Its...well..._silver_! And sometimes it looks like its actually sparkling!" Aravis laughed.

"Thanks, Kitty."

Half an hour later, Kitty had left for breakfast and Aravis stood at the mirror experimenting with makeup. She soon realized that her pale skin looked best with little- if any- makeup. She applied a touch of shimmering powder to her cheekbones and mascara to her eyelashes. She hadn't blown her hair dry, and the smooth waves rested gently against her back. She jumped when she heard the knock at the door at hopped over to open it. Expecting to see Jean or Logan at the door, she was surprised to find a tall, handsome man wearing red tinted sunglasses.

"Hi Aravis! My name's Scott, but you can call me Cyclops if you want. Jean sent me to get you so she can check your ankle out." Aravis smiled at him and hopped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. She was relieved to see that he had brought a wheelchair; she had thought for one awful moment that he was going to carry her as Logan had. "How was your first night?" he asked kindly when they had reached the elevator.

"Okay...kinda awkward." she admitted as they descended to the med lab. Scott laughed.

"Don't worry. With Kitty as your roommate, you'll feel right at home in no time." The elevator reached the correct floor and Scott wheeled Aravis into the middle of the med lab. Jean was talking quietly to a dark-skinned woman with white hair when they arrived. Their discussion immediately came to a halt as both woman approached Aravis.

"Hello Aravis, my name's Ororo Monroe, but you can call me Storm. I work here at the Professor's school." said the woman with white hair, smiling kindly and shaking Aravis' hand. Scott helped her get up from the wheelchair and move to the exam table, where she sat while Jean inspected her ankle.

"Alright, its looking much better." Jean said, smiling. "Its still not a good idea to put weight on it though, so I'm gonna give you some crutches to help you get around. Don't worry, you'll only have to use them for a week or two."

"When will I start classes?" Aravis asked, trying to fill the awkward silence that had followed Jean's last remark.

"Tomorrow, I believe. I put you down for the same class schedule as Kitty, since you're rooming with her. She can help you meet the other kids and get comfortable around the school."

"Thanks." replied Aravis, gratefully. She grimaced in pain and clutched the edge of the table as Jean strapped a brace onto her ankle.

"Keep this on during the day, and ice it every night before bed." Aravis nodded obediently. Smiling, Jean said "Well, then you're all set. The others are in class now so you can feel free to explore or rest or do whatever you want! Lunch is at 12:30. Oh- and don't forget, later after I'm finished teaching I'll come find you and we'll go get you some clothes."

"Thanks, Jean!" Aravis said, as she hobbled around trying to get the hang of her crutches.


	4. Chapter 4

_So sorry for the long delay. My computer was acting up! Thanks to __miss nen yim__for the encouragement!_

Aravis emptied her shopping bags onto her bed, where Kitty immediately pounced, examining every item of clothing.

"I wish I could have come shopping with you." Kitty remarked, looking disappointed. "This physics homework is killing me _and_ my social life." Aravis chuckled in response, while hanging up several new skirts in her closet. "Um...Aravis? I don't know if you noticed, but..."

"What?"

"Everything you bought...well, its...its _all_ white!"

"I know." Aravis laughed, seeing Kitty's curious expression.

"You did it on purpose?" she asked, staring at Aravis, who nodded. "Why?"

Aravis shrugged. "I just like the color white, I guess." Kitty laughed before standing up to help her roommate put away her new clothes.

"When we're finished, we'll go down to dinner and I can introduce you to everyone!" she said excitedly. Aravis nodded and quickly put the rest of her clothes away. She changed out of Kitty's clothes and into her own new white skirt and tank top, and then pulled her long, shimmering hair into a loose ponytail. They made their way downstairs to the cafeteria, in the elevator for Aravis' sake, and sat at with several other teenagers.

"Hey guys!" Kitty said brightly, sitting down at the table. "This is Aravis, she's new here! Aravis, this is Bobby, Rogue, John, Peter, and Jubilee." They all smiled and said hello to Aravis, who smiled shyly. Her eyes lingered for a moment of the largest of the group, who Kitty had called Peter. His eyes met hers for a moment, and she quickly turned away, blushing.

Two weeks passed quite quickly. Aravis soon learned her way around the mansion and grew to enjoy the company of the other teenagers. It had been difficult for her at first; she had been used to being alone for quite some time. Much to her relief, the day finally came when she was able to walk on her own again. After Jean had given her a final check-up, Aravis all but ran from the med lab, giving the crutches one last disdainful glance. She was on her way outside when Logan stopped her in the hall.

"Hey, kid." he grunted. "Professor wants to see you in his office." She merely nodded in response and turned away from the foyer. When she reached the Professor's door, she lifted her hand to knock. He called out, however, before her knuckles made contact with the wood.

"Come in, Aravis." She entered and sat quietly, waiting for him to speak. " I realize that you are anxious to be out of doors and on your feet again, so I'll make this short." She smiled gratefully and waited for him to continue. "I simply wanted to make sure that everything was alright. Some of your teachers seem to be worried." She frowned, not quite understanding.

"Worried how? I'm doing fine in class, understanding and everything."

"It's not your schoolwork with which they are concerned, Aravis, it's _you_."

"I'm fine." she said defensively, not meeting his eye.

"One doesn't have to be psychic to see that you are _not_ fine. You look as though you haven't slept in days."

"So I can't sleep, what's the big deal? Just some nightmares, thats all!" she shot back, her anger rising.

"And socially? Some teachers feel that you aren't connecting with other students as well as they would have hoped." Aravis glared at him.

"I spend almost all of my time with Kitty and the others."

"Yes, you are around other students during the day, but would that be the case if it were not for your roommate? Have you even really _talked_ to any of those people? Shared with them about your life? Your experiences? Your family?" Aravis was growing furious.

"Maybe it's none of their damn business!" she snarled, standing from her seat.

"Or perhaps," he continued, "you are afraid of becoming close to anyone? Perhaps you have experienced what it is like to lose someone that you hold dear, and you simply do not wish to grow close to someone who may be taken from you also?" Aravis would not return his stare.

"Well you seem to know _all_ the answers, don't you? You're psychic, so go ahead! Read my mind! Figure out what my problem is so you and all your precious X men can talk it over at the next faculty meeting, since I already seem to be the favorite topic of conversation!" She was yelling now, her hands clenched at her sides. He merely gazed at her, sadness in his eyes.

"No one here wishes anything but to help you, Aravis. The mind is not a book that can be simply opened and read. When you are ready- that is, you are ready to give someone your trust- we will all be here, ready to help you cope with whatever you have experienced in your past, and to assist you in facing whatever lies in your future. All you have to do is trust us. I do believe we have earned it."

* * *

Aravis could feel the anger bubbling up inside of her as she ran from the mansion, past the immediate grounds and toward the forrest which lay beyond. How _dare_ he. How dare he think that just because he was psychic he knew everything about her! 'He has _no_ idea why I am the way I am!' she though furiously to herself. 'He has no idea what kind of hell i've been through! So maybe I push people away. So what if I refuse to get close to other people? I of all people should know that it makes it easier that way! Loving someone only makes things more painful in the end!' She stopped running when she was deep in the forrest and sat down on the grass, clenching and unclenching her fists in fury. She needed to calm herself, and she could only think of one way to do it. Her mutation. She hadn't been able to in weeks due to her ankle, and it was killing her. Not wanting to ruin them, she quickly removed her white skirt and long-sleeved shirt, followed by her panties and bra. She stood, completely bare amongst the trees, breathing deeply, in and out, in and out. The process was much easier when she was calm and relaxed. When her heart rate had finally steadied, she closed her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could. Suddenly, her body began to change; her arms and legs began to grow longer and her torso grew considerably, becoming much thicker. Her face began to elongate and her eyes moved slowly until they rested at the side of her head. Her once smooth forehead began to bulge in the middle and she fell forward onto all four's. She waited a few more seconds until the process was complete. There, in the middle of the forrest, when a girl had just been sitting, stood a full grown, majestic unicorn. The fur was the purest shade of white that anyone could have ever laid eyes on, and the single horn which grew out of her forehead seemed to be made of pure crystal. The mane and tail were the color of silver, though they had a shimmering quality about them, just as Aravis' hair had had when she was in her human form. The eyes were the only part of her to remain the same; big, bright and midnight blue. Aravis felt a surge of relief flow over her. It felt wonderful to be in her other form, and she couldn't remember the last time when she had gone so long without changing. With that thought, she let out a deep sigh and did what she loved best: she began to gallup. This, however, was much different than the gallup of an everyday horse. It was much more graceful, and as she picked up speed she began to go faster than any race horse could have ever hoped to run. For the first time in weeks, Aravis felt free. 


End file.
